when to prune mexican sage in southern california

Linda Richards is a member of the Redlands Horticultural and Improvement Society and lives in Redlands. Monkey flowers can be pruned in late fall before new growth appears. . How to Grow Red Creeping Thyme Prune in summer to early fall,mid-July through September. The Best Time to Trim Bougainvillea | Home Guides | SF Gate More pruning will be needed if you are growing the Mexican bird of paradise and plan it . Remove damaged parts before the start of spring. And it just won't stop! Hummingbirds like it. perennial plantings that will thrive all season long. It dies back in the winter and rebounds nicely every year . . Prune Mexican heather lightly during the spring if the plant looks scraggly or overgrown. On Feb 20, 2011, annlof from Camarillo, CA wrote: This is an attractive, xeric shrub which is very popular in Southern California. In warmer climates, shear the plant to the ground in the winter to ensure it grows back quickly into a full-sized and bushy plant. Be sure to water the shrub weekly during its initial growing season to help it develop strong roots. When planning a dry garden or flower beds for hot, arid areas, look for shrubs that are native to your area, or plants that have proven drought tolerance from dry climate zones in South Africa or . It typically grows two to three feet tall within one growing season. In So Cal, this operation is usually performed in December. Generally speaking, Mexican sage is a low-maintenance plant that doesnt require much from you. Focus on altering the length of the stems not the number of the stems overall. It blooms regularly for over 6 months (March - November) in coastal California. and cvs., Zones 511), is vast, wildly colorful, and often quite fragrant. To propagate it using cuttings, you should: Get pruning shears and cut a piece of your mature Mexican sage that has a minimum of four to five nodes or leaf stems on it. You want to gently remove the plant from the seedling tray or pot and transplant it. Salvia greggii and its brittle-limbed ilk, whose spring clouds of fragrant foliage and flowers now look like a mass of kindling, benefit from two passes with the pruners. Mom always pruned it in what I thought an unusual way: When the main flower spike on the end of a stem was done flowering, she removed the ENTIRE stem all the way back to the main stem. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Propagating your Mexican sage is a very easy process that wont take a huge amount of effort or time. Otherwise, prune lightly in spring, if needed, to reduce height or to remove thin or weak growth. Pest risks include whiteflies, aphids, and spider mites. And, although its tolerant to drought, this plant likes to be in evenly-moist soil when you water it. Be sure to apply the fertilizer at the manufacturer's recommended rate. Or is this an old wives tale?. With Mexican sage, you dont need to worry a lot when it comes to pests and diseases. Since our founding in Southern California by Harry E. Rosedale, Sr. Also, with the fragrant, bright, and showy flowers and spreading growth habit, Mexican sage is stunning in mass plantings. Provide 1 inch of water each week during the summer months or whenever the soil feels dry beneath the surface. Not especially fragrant, but attracts desirable wildlife for naturalistic landscaping: songbirds like the low cover they provide; hummingbirds, honeybees and butterflies will hit every single blossom for the nectar. Rust is a fungal disease that thrives in overly wet soil, so you should adjust your watering practices if you notice leaves falling off your Mexican bush sage. This plant loves well-draining but rich soil. Here's how to propagate Mexican bush sage with stem cuttings: The Mexican bush sage can freeze and experience some stem dieback in winter, but when cut back in February, new growth will emerge in spring. Hard prune annually to rejuvenate. The dead growth insulates the plant during the wet, chilly months. Wait until the plant is done flowering before pruning. . There are well over 900 species, of which California native sages comprise only about 2%. Another is their positive response toat the leastan annual pruning. Best time to visit Mexico - Rough Guides If you want to remove it, now is the time to do it. One exception is white sage. She has lived in the Bay Area since 1988. It can handle heavy pruning during the growing season but hold off on pruning in late fall or winter. Monkey flower (Mimulus spp. These salvias grow best when pruned to within six inches of the ground after flowering. During this time, your Mexican sage will flower and die back in cold conditions, and it can tolerate very mild frost. The more sun you give it, the fuller and bigger itll grow. I usually move them close together in the winter to help protect from the wind. Fruit trees are fast growing. But along a side street, you will find a sight quite rare in most, Tulips are a lavish spring gift that all gardeners can give to themselves and to their neighborhoods with just a little advance planning. This pruning stimulates the plant to waste energy as it produces new growth. Garden Guides | How to Care for a Mexican Sage Bush This fast-growing, evergreen shrub is a popular garden plant in the Southwest. If you cut off all the flower stalks, and water, monkey flowers will rebloom in the summer. Instead, you grow it as an ornamental. The flowers are a slightly deeper purple color. This plant is native to Mexico, as you may have guessed by the name, and its a heat-loving plant that offers greenish-gray foliage that does very well in very hot summers. The wonderful world of salvia, or sage (Salvia spp. Prune in summer to early fall, mid-July through September. The Best Time to Visit Mexico - TripSavvy Mexican sage benefits from deadheading throughout the season to tidy it up, which can help encourage it to produce more flowers into the autumn months. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers like a magnet . I found a different spot, b read moreut close enough to the driveway this year (annuals here in zone 6), pinched it back every so often and it's happier now than the ones in 2006. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. . Weve found it very helpful. I later tried allowing all the flowers on each stem their turn to develop, thinking they might all become large spikes like the main ones on the stem ends . If you live in a cold region, it is possible to overwinter Mexican sage, and well touch on that later. The same technique of cutting back stems to a selection of robust new leaves in early to mid-fall that is used with white sage applies to many other sages, such as Cleveland sage (S. clevelandii, Zones 910), purple sage (S. leucophylla, Zones 611), and Mystic Blue Spires salvia (S. Mystic Blue Spires, Zones 710). There are three species of bird of paradise (Caesalpinia) grown in the Southwest, red (C. pulcherrima), yellow (C. gilliesii), and Mexican (C. mexicana). How to Prune a Pink Pandorea Jasminoides Rosea Plant, North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service: Salvia Leucantha, Clemson Cooperative Extension: Salvias: Beautiful Additions to Garden Landscapes, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Salvias, University of Minnesota Extension: How to Properly Clean Your Garden Tools and Pots, Logee's Plants: Cultural Information--Salvia, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space. Plantings can be made throughout the growing season; however, early spring is often the best time. Choose a sunny location and plant it in the early spring. 77 members have or want this plant for trade. Amazing! One of my favorite salvias is Black and Blue blue anise sage (S. guaranitica Black and Blue, Zones 710). . You can address this issue preemptively by mixing at least 20% sand or grit with compost into your soil. Here are some takeaways of the more popular natives that my husband and I have employed in our native-plant landscaping. This sage has proven to be a voracious spreader in my garden, filling in every available space. Once you get all of your logistics figured out, you can start digging. You can work a three- or four-inch layer oforganic compostinto the soil with a tiller, improving drainage and providing additional nutrients. Instead, its popular to use this cultivar to make natural fertilizers or insecticides. Though they can reach sizes up to 4 feet (1 m.) in both height and width in native growing zones, these plants will be much smaller when grown as an annual. Sure, my fingers get a little sticky, but the fragrance is one of my all-time favorites in the garden. With. Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses - G.R. Landscape Architect - Garth Ruffner I have two of theseone if blooming and the other is not blooming at all. You can encourage a healthy bloom on your Mexican bush sage with appropriate care in the early stages of growth and siting the plant in full sun. Gorgeous!!! NOTE: Mom's sage was on a dirt berm, but not sheltered from winter rains, and it did GREAT! Hardy to USDA zones 7b to 10, bush sage can also be grown as an annual in regions outside of its hardiness range. If you want to add amendments to the soil, you can do so now before you finish by covering the rest of the hole around the root ball with soil. Californias native poppy is lovely, and so are these others, too Mexico's dry season spans December to April. I only wish I had planted more of them in other parts of our yard. The soil should be nutrient-rich and maintain balanced moisture levels throughout the growing season. More nurseries, including our local Cherry Valley Nursery, are now carrying them. Feed the plant in spring, summer, and fall using a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer. This frost-tender plant grows roots easily from tender shoots placed in water. Like leaf loss, yellow leaves on your Mexican bush sage are often caused by overwatering or an overly nitrogen-rich fertilizer. You can also prune or pinch back in mid- to late spring but be careful to not take off flower buds, or youll be without flowers and the beautiful red berries. Manzanitas should not be pruned in winter because of fungus issues. Purchasing the plants from a reputable source will be important to ensure that new plantings in the garden are healthy and disease free. . Mexican sage, or Salvia leucantha, is a popu. Since Mexican sage grows to form a dense shrub, you want to leave three feet between your plants to ensure that it has a lot of room to spread without getting crowded. But the best $3.50 plant I buy. IF they had pruned it like my mother always did, that could never have happened, and, their plants would have looked 100% more beautiful, too! Salvia Chamaedryoides: How To Grow Germander Sage Gardeners can begin the process of growing Mexican bush sage in a wide variety of ways. Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri): OBrien says if growing vigorously after a year, prune hard, cutting back all the old stems to stubs only 3 to 4 inches from the ground. Its coolest period is December through February, and the wettest period is May to October. . Be sure to wear gloves read more, Thought I saw a grasshopper on one of my milkweeds, read more, I have several pair of Dark-Eyed Juncos this winter. In late summer or fall, use sharp pruners to cut 3- to 4-inch cuttings from the tips of actively growing (but non-flowering) stems. Pruning salvias such as Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha) is an integral part of their care because it will keep them looking tidy and compact, and it may even prolong the blooming season. Mexican Bush Sage Care: How To Plant Mexican Bush Sage - Gardening Know How 10/25/07: OBrien suggests light fertilizing a month or so after pruning if the plant is growing in infertile soils. Young trees can benefit from pruning to establish good branching. A. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Q. I have lots of plants that probably need pruning back in the winter but Im not sure how much to prune back or when to do it. When it comes to the soil, good drainage is the most important aspect. I live in the San Francisco mid-peninsula foothills and most of the plants are on a deck that has significant wind exposure in winter. It goes well with the plants popular with bees and butterflies, such as coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and sedum. In areas where you grow your Mexican sage as an annual, you should plant your transplants only after the last frost date of the spring has passed and the soil warmed up. Dull, pitted blades are also more likely to harbor pathogens, so keeping them honed or replacing them often with fresh shears is vital in keeping your plants disease-free. Mexican sage isnt toxic to animals or humans, and it does have some medicinal uses attached to it. Though Mexican bush sages are drought-tolerant, they require watering during hot summers. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Los Gatos Spring Into Green event helps Keep Los Gatos Beautiful They are planted in the same area so they get the same sun/water/etc. Full bloom occurs in the summer. I don't know if the cold is killing it or if it's rotting out in our wet winters, but I've given up on it.